(CNN) - Congressman Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas) has conceded the race for the 27th Congressional District following a recount; Republican candidate Blake Farenthold's victory gives GOP a 62-seat net gain in the House of Representatives.

(CNN) - Closing arguments were held Monday in the trial of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is charged with illegally funneling corporate money to help elect GOP candidates to the Texas legislature.

The case is now in the hands of the jury, according to Travis County District Clerk Director Cindy Guebara.FULL POST

Chicago, Illinois (CNN) - The first black woman to win a seat in the U.S. Senate has thrown her political hat back into the ring, beating Monday's deadline for hopeful candidates to turn in the required signatures needed to be placed on the mayoral ballot here.

"I just want to serve," Carol Moseley Braun said Saturday as she announced her intent to run for mayor of Chicago before a crowd of supporters.FULL STORY

Washington (CNN) - President Obama is planning to bring former campaign manager David Plouffe onto the White House staff at the beginning of January to work alongside senior adviser David Axelrod for a brief time before Axelrod moves on to help run the re-election campaign, according to a senior administration official and a senior Democratic strategist familiar with the plan.

The sources added that Axelrod is now planning to leave his White House post as soon as immediately after the State of the Union address, which is an earlier departure date than originally expected and could be part of a new round of departures at the White House.FULL STORY

(CNN) – Former U.S. Senator George Allen has received some good news should he choose to challenge Democratic Sen. Jim Webb for his old seat in 2012.

Virginia's GOP leaders elected to select their Republican candidate in 2012 by primary instead of by convention potentially helping Allen who may fare better before primary voters than party delegates.FULL POST

(CNN) – If Sarah Palin does run for president next year, at least one high profile journalist will be forbidden access to the former Alaska governor.

Speaking to Fox New's Sean Hannity in an interview to air Monday, Palin said she wants nothing to do with Katie Couric, the CBS Evening News anchor who's line of questioning facilitated one of the most memorable political foibles of the 2008 presidential campaign.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - Politics is serious business - but not all of the time. From the halls of Congress to the campaign trail to the international stage, there's always something that gets a laugh or a second glance. Here are some of the things you might have missed:

Feeling lonely this holiday season?

You know you've made it (or have done something controversial) when NBC's "Saturday Night Live" spoofs you. With the Transportation Security Administration, it's the latter.Full Story

(CNN)– A letter by a large group of Tea Party movement leaders to the top two Republicans in Congress that fires back at a gay conservative group is now itself receiving incoming fire.

The letter by Tea Party Nation and signed by approximately 150 other movement leaders, appears to be in response to a similar letter last week that was put out by GOProud and signed by 17 other Tea Party activist leaders that called for congressional Republicans to deal with fiscal issues right away rather than social issues.FULL POST

(CNN) – At least one potential presidential contender is openly fearing a White House bid from Sarah Palin.

"No question, she will be a very, very strong presence and force, if she gets in," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told reporters in Des Moines, Iowa Sunday, according to the Des Moines Register. "You know, she may run away with it. And that's one of those things everyone needs to be prepared for."FULL POST